This invention is related to a non-slip strap that can be wrapped around a smooth article, and more particularly to such a strap that is connected to a patient monitoring device to resist movement of the device when the patient moves beyond a predetermined distance.
Patient monitoring devices are commonly used in a home, a residential care facility or in hospitals to monitor the movements of a patient.
In one type of patient monitoring device, a pin is connected to a monitor housing by a cord fastened to the patient. The cord has a fixed length. If the patient moves beyond that length, the monitoring device is activated to sound an alarm. The cord is connected to a patient, such as to the patient""s clothing, so that if the patient slumps from a wheelchair onto the floor, or moving over the edge of a bed, the monitoring device generates the alarm.
The alarm is commonly mounted on the wheelchair or a bed rail, by means of a flexible fabric strap that is wrapped around the rail. The ends of the strap are connected together by releasable fabric fasteners, such as well-known Velcro fasteners, which comprise a first patch of a flexible hook material and a second patch of a flexible loop material.
A problem arises in some cases because the conventional strap tends to slide along the rail when the patient moves so as to make the flexible cord taut. The taut cord pulls the strap and the alarm along the rail rather than separating the activating pin from the alarm housing.
The broad purpose of the present invention is to provide a non-slip strap that may be wrapped around an object having a smooth surface. In the preferred embodiment, the strap comprises an elongated fabric band. A rubber-like, non-slip material is fastened along a portion of the length of on one side of the band. The remainder of the same side of the band has fabric fastener hooks.
The opposite side of the strap is completely covered with fabric fastener loops. When the strap is wrapped around an elongated object, one side of the strap fastens tot he opposite side of the strap and made sufficiently snug on the object that the non-slip material prevents the strap from sliding along the object, such as a bed rail. The strap can be used either to connect one object to an elongated support, or to wrap several articles together. The strap can be used on wheelchairs, regular chairs, a couch, a bench or other smooth surface supports. It can be used in other non-health care industries. It can be made in any desirable shape or length.
Another object of the invention is to provide a patient monitoring device that is attached to such a strap to prevent the patient monitoring device from being pulled along a bed rail when the activating cord is rendered taut by patient movement.
Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description.